Certificate in Human Lactation
The School of Public Health provides lactation education and training for undergraduate students to increase their lactation knowledge and to meet the certification requirements to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
Your Program Essentials
Find everything you need to know about our Human Lactation Certificate program
Program Prerequisites
View the requirements for the IBCLC Health Sciences Education and more.
See RequirementsCourse Information
Review the information for each course in the Lactation program.
Learn MoreLactation Advising
We offer Advising for prospective students with questions about our Lactation program.
Schedule AdvisingApplication Information
Learn more about the Lactation program application process.
Apply NowClinical Lactation Experience
Find the pathway is right for you to obtain your clinical lactation experience?
Clinical OptionsTuition & Fees
Learn about tuition and fees of the lactation program, practicum, and exams.
Tuition FeesPassing Rates
See the success rates of our Lactation program graduates.
Program OutcomesFrequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the frequently asked questions about our Lactation program.
FAQsLactation Research
Read the latest research articles about breastfeeding and lactation.
View ResearchFinancial Aid & Scholarships
Financial aid and scholarship opportunities for Lactation Education students.
ScholarshipsHave Questions About Our Program?
Request Lactation Program Information
Contact lactation@pdx.edu or schedule an appointment with our lactation advisors if you have more questions or would like to receive more information about our program.
Fill Out The Form To Apply
Lactation Program Events
Become A Lactation Consultant
JUMPSTART A CAREER
With 300 hours of mentorship with experts in the field, you will build skills and connections that will help you land a new job in this emerging field.
FLEXIBLE EDUCATION
We offer the 100 hours of required IBLCE education in a live distance learning or recorded course format.
Career Opportunities
We offer a competitive practicum, summer orientation and hands on experience in hospital and clinical settings around the country.
EXAM PREPERATION
The Certificate of Human Lactation grants you the ability to apply to take the IBCLC exam. *Our graduates have a 100% passing rate.
*as of May 2024
OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Lactation Certificate
Our undergraduate Lactation Certificate program Provides students with advanced practice clinical lactation care for families in a variety of settings. Preparing students to sit for the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) exam.
Watch our short overview video to understand more about the lactation certificate program.
“I really enjoyed the entire [program] experience, close interpersonal instruction, and supervision. I found what I was looking for.”
“I feel right where I’m supposed to be!”
Start Your Lactation Certification Process
You must complete four steps to become an IBCLC:
- Obtain your Health Sciences Education
- Obtain your Lactation Education
- Obtain your Clinical Experince
- Pass the IBLCE Certification Exam
Watch our short IBCLC overview video to learn more about the IBCLC process.
Donate To The Lactation Fund
This is a great way to help prospective lactation consultants realize their goal of helping breastfeeding families in their community.
Select “Marilyn and Dick Whetsell Lactation Certification Fund” as your designated donation.
Donate TodayLactation Research
Adherence to Infant Feeding Guidelines in the First Foods New Zealand Study
Infant feeding guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations to support optimal infant health, growth, and development, and exploring adherence to guidelines is a useful way of assessing diet quality. The aim of this study was to determine adherence to the recently updated Ministry of Health “Healthy Eating Guidelines for New Zealand Babies and Toddlers (0–2 years old)”.
Breastfeeding with Lactation Anaphylaxis: A Case Study
Lactation anaphylaxis (LA) is a rare, life-threatening condition which causes an allergic reaction during lactation in response to the let down reflex.[1] Case reports of LA have appeared in a wide variety of healthcare publications including lactation, allergy and immunology, obstetrics and gynecology, anesthesiology, critical care, and acute care. This illustrates the broad range of healthcare providers who may identify and treat a person with this condition.